Sydney breaks ground at Badgerys Creek

Sydney broke ground on its new AUD 5 billion airport at Badgerys Creek on 24 September 2018. ‘Western Sydney Airport’ is scheduled to open in 2026 as part of an effort to deal with booming air traffic numbers. Along with the airport, the area will also house a hi-tech business district. “It’s great to see this happening,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison when he turned the first sod. “This issue has been around for longer than I have been living on the planet,” he added, joking about long-running planning delays. The number of air passengers globally is projected to nearly double to 7.8 billion by 2036. Sydney is expected to double passenger numbers within the next two decades, with low-cost airlines continuing to provide much of the growth – driving down fares on longer routes and stimulating demand. Supporters of the project say that even if flight restrictions on Sydney’s current airport were lifted, it would not be able to handle expected passenger numbers. In 2017, SYD handled 43.4 million passengers, up 3.2% on the previous year. By 2039, Kingsford Smith Airport expects to handle 65.6 million passengers, with just under half of those to be international, over 408,000 aircraft movements, and one million tonnes of freight. For the Sydney region, demand is forecast to reach 87 million passengers by 2035. The forecast takes into account the planned opening of Western Sydney Airport in late 2026. #1086.20